Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,536 at the 2000 census. The town name is a corruption of a native word. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York. History Prior to the advent of the Dutch, the region was at the heart of the Mahican tribe. The location of their principal village was "Esquatak, the "fireplace of the nation." The town was partly explored by Henry Hudson in 1609. The town… (More on Schodack)